The present invention generally relates to a cover for transporting and protecting electronic components. More particularly, the present invention relates to a removable cover securable to an electronic socket for transporting an electronic socket, such as to a circuit board during assembly.
Many types of electronic sockets exist today. These sockets typically include a socket base, to which a socket cover is slidably mounted. The socket base and cover are formed with grids of pin holes therein, with the grids in the base and cover overlapping. The socket cover may be slid between open and closed positions with respect to the socket base. The pin holes in the socket base include receptacle contacts having pins extending from the bottom of the socket. A pin pattern on the socket base is configured to align with an array of holes in a support structure to which the socket is mounted, such as a circuit board. The socket cover has a pin hole pattern configured to receive pins on a mating component, such as a microprocessor. The socket base and cover also include a large clearance hole through the centers thereof.
The sockets are typically mounted to the circuit board through an automated process. However, the socket may easily be damaged or contaminated when manipulated, and thus transporting the socket from a shipping tray to the circuit board and positioning the socket on the circuit board is a difficult task.
Past automated assembly processes have used a vacuum tool to form a vacuum seal with the electronic socket and to transport the electronic socket to the circuit board. However, because the socket has numerous pin holes and the clearance hole which prevent the formation of a vacuum seal thereon, an additional transport cover is attached to the socket cover. The vacuum tool forms the vacuum seal with the transport cover and collectively moves the electronic socket to the circuit board. Once the socket is in place on the circuit board, the transport cover is removed.
Several kinds of covers have been proposed to facilitate transportation and installation of an electronic socket. For example, a tape or film has been applied to the top of the socket cover to cover the pin holes and the clearance hole. The tape provides a semi-rigid, uninterrupted surface on the top of the socket in order that the vacuum tool may form a seal on the tape and facilitate transport of the socket to a circuit board. Once the socket is soldered to the circuit board, the tape is then removed from the socket. However, the tape is expensive and is not reusable. Additionally, the tape is difficult to center and apply on the socket and is difficult to remove by hand or with a tool because the tape has no surface for gripping.
Another transport cover used in the industry is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,848. The ""848 patent describes a plastic cover that has a body with a flat top surface and supporting legs perpendicularly extending from opposite lateral edges of the body. The supporting legs have stand-off portions perpendicularly extending inward therefrom to define a gap. The supporting legs are biased outward from each other or slid alongside the side walls of the electronic socket such that stand-off portions extend under the body of the electronic socket and retain the transport cover to the electronic socket. The vacuum tool is then used to form a vacuum seal with the top surface of the transport cover and transport the electronic socket to the motherboard.
The plastic transport cover suffers from several drawbacks. First, the transport cover is difficult to install onto the electronic socket. The transport cover either must be slid onto the electronic socket with the stand-offs reaching under the electronic socket and holding the electronic socket in the gap or the supporting legs must be biased outward away from each other such that the stand-offs can be snapped under the electronic socket. Sliding the transport cover onto the electronic socket requires aligning the electronic socket within the gap, which can be difficult and time consuming. Likewise, snapping the transport cover on and off of the electronic socket is time consuming because the supporting legs are small and difficult to grip or position.
A need remains for a transport cover that overcomes the above problems and addresses other concerns experienced in the prior art.
Certain embodiments of the present invention include a socket assembly having an electronic socket with a socket cover. The socket assembly also includes a transport cover with a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the transport cover is configured to form a vacuum seal with a tool, while the bottom surface of the transport cover includes a locating post and a flexible beam with a latching protrusion. The locating post is configured to slidably engage a clearance hole through the socket cover. The flexible beam is received in the clearance hole in the socket cover until the latching protrusion releasably engages a bottom surface of the socket cover to retain the transport cover on the socket cover.